One Acre Cover Plots
Filed under: Ask Grant, Food Plots
Grant, I have 128 acres that my dad and I hunt, and one day my son will hunt with us. There are already three 1 acre plots on it. We are always improving our woods with browse and cover. However, I’m having a hard time determining a pattern for the deer, although I do see deer in each plot. Would it be better to create one larger plot in the middle of my property (about 5 acres) and convert the other plots to cover? I don’t want to because they are already there and I maintain them, but it has been hard to predict the deer movement. We usually kill one or two 3.5 year old deer per year, typically over the plots during the rut. We try hunting between cover and food but the best cover is on a neighboring property. This makes it hard to get close to the edge without spooking deer, so we’ve found the best hunting near or on the plots. Thanks, Garry
Garry,
I think you’ve been very successful by harvesting one or two 3.5 year old bucks annually on 128 acres! Certainly harvesting one 3.5 year buck per 100 acres annually is above the national average!! However, properties can almost always be improved. Deer require food, cover, and water. Mature bucks usually use the best source of each of these in their range. Best may not be the best source based solely on quality, but their usage also depends on the amount of danger they associate with each resource. For example, you could have the best food source for deer in the neighborhood but if deer associate it with danger they won’t use it much during daylight hours.
If your neighbor has “the best” cover it’s doubtful one acre cover blocks will be better. I’d evaluate what’s the limiting factor in your neighborhood and make sure you have the best of that resource available on your property. By providing a resource that deer need and is most limited in your neighborhood, and working to insure deer don’t associate that resource with danger, you should have great hunting!
Growing Deer together,
Grant
